Reading & Reacting: David Coleman, Common Core Writer, Gears Up For SAT Rewrite

This is a relatively favorable piece on former Common Core ELA architect and now chief executive of the College Board. it is a bit more biography than insight.

It also addresses the current criticism of the CCSS from both the right and left, but it does not provide a lot of context about the agendas of the players that are named. All the individuals named seem relatively equal in stature and it is a little light on perspective.

A major issue is the redesign of the SAT, which will be aligned with Common Core. Stunning.

Now, Coleman is in charge of the most important test score a student can receive. As president of the College Board, a national education company, he is redesigning the SAT, the standardized test taken by many high school seniors as a part of the college application process. He is also expanding the Advanced Placement program, which offers college-level classes and tests for high school students.

What I have struggled to understand is how all the media has just given Coleman a pass on the move from developing the standards, amidst suspect circumstances, to taking over the College Board and now ensuring their adoption to some degree by everyone, regardless of state agreement or not. In fact, some have argued that this impacts private schools as well.

No one has considered this a conflict of interest of any kind, which I find a bit puzzling. The guy has no education background other than as a consultant, yet he is arguably driving more of the current education agenda than any other individual. He is clearly a masterful opportunist.

Despite thinking that this article is lacking, it is important that people know who David Coleman is and a bit about him.